Moderator10+ Year Member

Okay, so if I had $35K to spend on a used sports car to drive for a year or two until the kids come (and I trade it in on a BMW wagon), what should I buy?

My vision was a used 911, like an 06 S cabriolet, but the model-year/price/engine-not-blowing-up Venn diagram isn't quite overlapping. So what's the next best? Must have back seat for my mother-in-law (true), manual transmission, and loud stereo. Low douche-factor. Used M3? TT?

15+ Year Member

I know this is a used sports car thread, but the 2019 GMC trucks just had a fresh remodel this year.
A lot of great deals on 2014-2018 GMC trucks. Picked up my 2500 duramax for 33k including taxes. The guy I bought it form had 70k invested in it. Sold my 4 runner w/ a ton of miles on it for $8500. So my net out of pocket was a little under 25K. Not bad.

10+ Year Member

Okay, so if I had $35K to spend on a used sports car to drive for a year or two until the kids come (and I trade it in on a BMW wagon), what should I buy?

My vision was a used 911, like an 06 S cabriolet, but the model-year/price/engine-not-blowing-up Venn diagram isn't quite overlapping. So what's the next best? Must have back seat for my mother-in-law (true), manual transmission, and loud stereo. Low douche-factor. Used M3? TT?

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If you want speed in a car that blends in, the RS4 is surprisingly fast for an old A4 lookalike

10+ Year Member

I like older high end luxury sedans (ls400, 750il, RL) because of the intense depreciation that happens 5-10yrs out but if I liked sports cars that’s what I would get. Have a colleague who has one and it’s scary fast.

Always wanted one of those. Almost bought one in 2001 or 2002 but reality set in and I couldn't make myself spend near $100K on one.

Sadly you're not going to find an NSX worth buying for anywhere near $35K. There are two on Autotrader now under $35K ... one has a rebuilt title, the other had an accident but the owner doesn't know nothin' 'bout it.

Amazing cars though. Far ahead of its time. Some people credit Honda for spurring the Italians to start caring about reliability. In the early 90s it was just "normal" for your Ferrari to spend every other month in the shop. NSX was a genuine daily driver exotic.

SDN Advisor10+ Year Member

I know this is a used sports car thread, but the 2019 GMC trucks just had a fresh remodel this year.
A lot of great deals on 2014-2018 GMC trucks. Picked up my 2500 duramax for 33k including taxes. The guy I bought it form had 70k invested in it. Sold my 4 runner w/ a ton of miles on it for $8500. So my net out of pocket was a little under 25K. Not bad.

15+ Year Member

Yeah... i've been looking for a while. I'm like one of those secret ebay/craisglist deal finders. I actually enjoy it.
Full disclosure... it did come with 140k miles... but it's a duramax... so I bought a 2.5 year old truck that had 90% highway miles and was just getting broken in. Some of those engines go for over a million miles. Usually the truck falls apart before the engine goes down.

Yeah... i've been looking for a while. I'm like one of those secret ebay/craisglist deal finders. I actually enjoy it.
Full disclosure... it did come with 140k miles... but it's a duramax... so I bought a 2.5 year old truck that had 90% highway miles and was just getting broken in. Some of those engines go for over a million miles. Usually the truck falls apart before the engine goes down.

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Having paid for a new one of these trucks, I’m pretty jealous man. I got employee pricing through a connection of mine, but it was still 55-58k out the door for my fully loaded truck (been a few years, I forget. About 10k off MSRP).

Also, any suggestions for new tires/wheels that won’t make me have to get a lift? I’d like more aggressive tread/bigger tires and darker aftermarket rims. I’d like to fill up the wheel well a little more. The stock tires on mine feel kind of puny.

10+ Year Member

Also, any suggestions for new tires/wheels that won’t make me have to get a lift? I’d like more aggressive tread/bigger tires and darker aftermarket rims. I’d like to fill up the wheel well a little more. The stock tires on mine feel kind of puny.

Most stock height 1/2 tons will fit 33’s and many stock height 3/4 tons will actually fit 35’s (talking 4x4’s here). I think 35’s on 17” rims looks perfect. 33’s on 16’s looks good but 17’s work too. Bigger rims than that look goofy on an off-road truck IMO. Go with all-terrain tires. BFG’s are time tested. I had General Grabber AT2’s which performed very well given the lower price point. Too many rims out there to list, but I’m partial to Method Wheels.

15+ Year Member

Also, any suggestions for new tires/wheels that won’t make me have to get a lift? I’d like more aggressive tread/bigger tires and darker aftermarket rims. I’d like to fill up the wheel well a little more. The stock tires on mine feel kind of puny.

15+ Year Member

I think, I will just keep my truck as is. Don't want to dump too much into it as I have a RRS specked out how I want it currently. I can send you my set up, which is a simple swap for stock wheels and tires. They look good enough... the above build will be a bit pricier, but once you build it, I'm sure you will love it 200% for 500k miles at least.

10+ Year Member

Im a bit partial as a caddy guy, plus it might be a bit out of your range at 40-45 for a good used specimen, but check out the ATS-v before you commit. 4 doors, 6 speed MT, and one of the best chassis's in the segment this side of an Alfa quadrifoglio.

5+ Year Member

My vote would be for a used 'vette. You can find some aggressively priced c5-c6's from time to time. Cheaper to fix and maintain then the exotics and with decent to very good overall performance. Make good daily drivers with reasonable high way gas mileage.

With that said, I would still rather pick up a lowerish miles used Yukon. I have owned 2 in the last 15 years. The first I bought with 20k miles and sold with over 300k miles and the most expensive repair was one axel. Engine and trans were still fine when I sold it. The second I bought with 130k and put another 35k on in 18 months.

You can get a nice low mileage Lotus Elise for 35k. I had a buddy with a new one about 10 years ago. It was a cool ride. Exotic looks, super quick, etc. Not the biggest engine, but it’s light as a feather.
I wonder if anyone races them?

SDN Advisor10+ Year Member

Most stock height 1/2 tons will fit 33’s and many stock height 3/4 tons will actually fit 35’s (talking 4x4’s here). I think 35’s on 17” rims looks perfect. 33’s on 16’s looks good but 17’s work too. Bigger rims than that look goofy on an off-road truck IMO. Go will all-terrain tires. BFG’s are time tested. I had General Grabber AT2’s which performed very well given the lower price point. Too many rims out there to list, but I’m partial to Method Wheels.

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Bingo!

I’d only add that the BFG’s are a softer compound and will wear out faster especially on a bigger truck like this one. TOYO tires are harder and last longer for example.

You can get a nice low mileage Lotus Elise for 35k. I had a buddy with a new one about 10 years ago. It was a cool ride. Exotic looks, super quick, etc. Not the biggest engine, but it’s light as a feather.
I wonder if anyone races them?

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Il Destriero

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During my racing days before med school I would see them at the track for driver's education events, time trials, etc. Trying to remember if I saw any doing actual wheel-to-wheel racing, but can't think of any. Likely due to there being cheaper/easier to maintain options in the class they would have fallen into. There might be more out there now though as they have become more common.

Why she veto it? New, they can be pricey, but used it's not too bad. And it's a practical mode of transportation that happens to be able to go 0-60 faster than most muscle cars.

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That’s what I said, a low milage 2-3 years old coming off lease, but no station wagons allowed. G wagon fine, station wagon no go. She didn’t buy the sports car in practical sheeps clothing argument. I try again every 6 months or so.

7+ Year Member

That’s what I said, a low milage 2-3 years old coming off lease, but no station wagons allowed. G wagon fine, station wagon no go. She didn’t buy the sports car in practical sheeps clothing argument. I try again every 6 months or so.

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Il Destriero

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Just get the sedan version, and play a little naive, 'AMG? No clue what that means.'

That’s what I said, a low milage 2-3 years old coming off lease, but no station wagons allowed. G wagon fine, station wagon no go. She didn’t buy the sports car in practical sheeps clothing argument. I try again every 6 months or so.

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Il Destriero

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I had a w211 E55 and then a w211 E63. Neither was a wagon - the wagons are unicorns. Excellent cars. I really regret selling the E55. I asked my wife if we could get the wagon ... and I won't ever have a wagon.
I've never driven the later iterations/v8biturbos but imagine they are also fun boats.